Loss Of Sense Of Smell And Taste
Your sense of smell will decrease after some types of surgery. This is especially noticeable if your nose is packed after the surgery. Once the pack comes out, it might improve. But it can take up to 3 months for your sense of smell to come back.
Sometimes the lining at the top of the nose which contains the smell receptors is involved in the cancer and/or has to be removed which will lead to permanent loss of smell. Loss of smell will also affect your ability to appreciate the flavour of food and drink but basic tastes such as salty, sour, bitter and sweet will not be affected.
It can be difficult to cope with not being able to smell.
Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Endoscopic sinus surgery is the more traditional surgical procedure for clearing blockages in sinuses. In this surgery, an endoscope is used to view the insides of the sinuses before blockages, such as nasal polyps and scar tissue, are removed. It is also possible to straighten a patients septum and reduce the size of their turbinates during endoscopic surgery. Kaplan Sinus Relief also offers image-guided surgery, further improving on an already safe and minimally invasive procedure.
How Sinus Surgery Works
You will be asleep under general anesthesia during the procedure. In our advanced FESS procedure, we insert an endoscope a thin, flexible tube with a camera and small tools on the end into one of your nostrils. The tools allow us to remove nasal polyps under CT guidance and, if necessary, enlarge the openings to your sinus cavities by removing unnecessary walls that create nooks and crannies in which polyps can hide.
After surgery, you should be able to go home the same day you will need a ride home. Most patients do not feel much pain, but you may have some discomfort, congestion, and spotty nose bleeds for a few days. We recommend using saline washes after surgery to reduce discomfort.
You will need to avoid activities that raise your blood pressure for a couple weeks, including exercise or strenuous activity. Other than that, you can go back to your normal activities within a few days. We recommend that patients take a week off work to rest. However, some patients go back to work the next day.
Patients say the difference between living with nasal polyps and finding the right treatment is like night and day. They can breathe easier and sleep better, which means they can get back to enjoying their lives and we are honored to be a part of making that happen.
To make an appointment with Dr. Ryan, call the UT Southwestern ENT Clinic at orrequest an appointment online.
Also Check: Wellspan Surgery And Rehabilitation Hospital
Results Vs Risks Of The Procedure
Results
Modern endoscopic techniques have made sinus surgery more efficient and reduced the risks of complications.
The results of your surgery are likely to depend on your condition. Overall, good short and long-term results have been reported for endoscopic sinus surgery.
In one study, 66 of 72 people said their symptoms were improved following surgery. They were followed up for an average of 8 years. In another report, 85% of people said their quality of life had improved after they were followed up for an average of 32 months.
Between 411% of people need repeat surgery, depending on the underlying problem.
Risks
As with any medical procedure there are some potential risks. The chance of complications depends on the type of procedure that youre having and other factors, including your general health. Overall, the complication rate for sinus surgery is 0.5%.
Risks of sinus surgery include:
- bleeding
- ongoing symptoms including nasal obstruction and discharge
- adhesions
- excessive dryness or crusting of your nose
- swelling or bruising of the area around your eye
- watering eyes
- injury to the eye causing double vision or blindness on one side
- cerebrospinal fluid leak or brain injury .
Ask your surgeon about the results and risks associated with your procedure. Also ask about their own rates of patient satisfaction and the rate of complications following the procedures theyve performed.
Nasal Crusting Or Dryness:
This can be variable and may last weeks to years. Changes in airflow inside the nose or removal of nasal tissue can cause areas to have crusts that may not resolve. Saline nasal rinses or nasal gels can improve symptoms. Sometimes, bacterial infections may be contributing to the crusts and an antibiotic ointment, mupirocin, can give dramatic improvement.
Don’t Miss: How Long Is Recovery From Gallbladder Surgery
Things To Expect After Sinus Surgery
Those of us with the misfortune of having sinus problems know what its like having a headache that feels as though your forehead is growing at an unforgivably and painfully fast pace.
We know what its like when smells evade you and bright lights make you cringe your eyes. Antibiotics, nasal sprays, neti pots and saline are no strangers to you.
While you sleep, your mouth has to be open because its the only way to breathe effectively, as your nose is too busy trying to get air through with all the mucus and whatnot blocking it. As sinus problems sufferers, we also know that sometimes the ultimate solution is surgery. Here are a few things to expect after you have had this procedure done. First, let me just tell you that if you are afraid of anesthesia , dont worry, you wont have time to feel fear because you wont even feel yourself falling asleep.
Purpose Of Sinus Surgery
The sinuses are an interconnected network of hollow cavities in the skull that are situated in the cheeks , between the eyes , between the eyebrows , and in the forehead .
Sinus surgery is typically indicated when conservative treatment optionsincluding lifestyle changes like smoking cessation and the appropriate treatment of allergies have been exhausted.
Among the common indications for sinus surgery are:
- Refractory chronic sinusitis
Sinus surgery can also be used to biopsy masses for evaluation in the lab or for certain procedures involving the eye socket, including optic nerve decompression, orbital decompression, and dacryocystorhinostomy .
You May Like: How Much Does Shoulder Surgery Cost
Personal Stories About Choosing Surgery For Sinusitis
These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.
I have had one sinus infection after another for the better part of a year. I’ve been taking antibiotics and using steroids and decongestant nasal sprays for a month now with no results. My doctor just did a CT scan and found out that one of my sinuses is blocked. He says he can fix it with surgery.
Pete, age 43
I’ve had a couple of bouts of sinusitis this year, so I asked my doctor about sinus surgery. She said there are some stronger antibiotics and other treatments I should try. I agree that it’s better to try the medicines.
Misti, age 32
My doctor fired all the medicines at this infection that she could, and I took them just the way she told me to, but nothing seemed to work. After she looked at my CT scan, my doctor thinks what I’ve got may be a fungal infection. That would explain why the antibiotics I’ve tried haven’t helped. I hate the idea of having the surgery, but I have tried everything else.
I have pretty bad sinusitis, and I’ve had it a few times over the years. The last time I got it, my doctor prescribed antibiotics and showed me how to wash out my sinuses with salt water, and that worked. I’m going to try that again, and my doctor says there are some other things we can try, too, like nasal sprays and allergy medicines.
Jonathan, age 29
How Is Chronic Sinusitis Treated
The first step is determining that it is chronic sinusitis, rather than acute sinusitis or another medical condition.
If you come to Yale Medicine for a diagnosis, our otolaryngologists will first perform a physical exam and then talk to you about your symptoms, which might include nasal obstruction and congestion, nasal drainage, post-nasal drip, facial discomfort, headache, and changes in smell or taste.
Doctors then perform an endoscopy, inserting a small camera into your nostrils, checking the area where the sinuses drain, looking for evidence of inflammation or infection. Sinusitis may also be diagnosed using a computerized tomography, or CT, scan.
Once a diagnosis of chronic sinusitis is made, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics, oral steroids, nasal steroids, nasal saline irrigation, or allergy treatments such as antihistamines.
Some patients come to us thinking they have simple sinusitis, but our advanced diagnostic techniques might discover nasal tumors or even an autoimmune disease. We are well-equipped to treat those conditions.
Whatever the diagnosis, if it becomes clear over time that medication is not working, our physician probably will present the option of minimally invasive endoscopic sinus surgery to you.
Also Check: Laser Eye Surgery For Cataracts
How Anesthesia Affects Your Body
General anesthesia is used during surgeries in a hospital or surgical center setting. Medication is given both as an inhaled gas and through an IV before and during surgery.
When you’re “put to sleep” in this way, you actually enter a state of consciousness that’s much deeper than normal sleep. You become completely unaware of your surroundings and don’t feel pain.
The muscles of your body are temporarily paralyzed by the medication so that you stay perfectly still during your procedure.
Since the muscles you use to breathe are included in this, a breathing tube is inserted into your throat and hooked up to a machine that will breathe for you while you are under anesthesia.
Sore Throat Or Hoarseness
The breathing tube may leave you with a sore throat or a hoarse voice. The longer the surgery, the more likely this is to occur.
While throat problems usually can’t be prevented, sore throat sprays, lozenges, and other medications can reduce throat pain in the days immediately after surgery.
Hoarseness that isnt improving more than five to seven days after surgery should be addressed with a healthcare provider.
Also Check: Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery Cost
What Else Do You Need To Make Your Decision
Check the facts
- Sorry, that’s not right. Very few people need surgery. Medicines and home care usually are enough.
- That’s right. Very few people need surgery. Medicines and home care usually are enough.
- It may help to go back and read “Get the Facts.” Very few people need surgery. Medicines and home care usually are enough.
- That’s right. You need to follow your doctor’s plan of medicine and other treatment for 4 to 6 weeks. This treatment can reduce swelling so your doctor can see what is causing your sinus infections.
- That’s not right. You need to follow your doctor’s plan of medicine and other treatment for 4 to 6 weeks. This treatment can reduce swelling so your doctor can see what is causing your sinus infections.
- It may help to go back and read “Get the Facts.” You need medicine and home treatment for 4 to 6 weeks. This will reduce swelling so your doctor can see what is causing your sinus infections.
- You’re right. You may still have to take antibiotics and use steroid nasal sprays after surgery. They can help you heal and fight infection.
- Sorry, that’s not right. You may still have to take antibiotics and use steroid nasal sprays after surgery. They can help you heal and fight infection.
- It may help to go back and read “Get the Facts.” You may still have to take antibiotics and use steroid nasal sprays after surgery. They can help you heal and fight infection.
Return Of Nasal Polyps:
Polyps are formed from swelling of the tissue inside the sinuses. Removing most of the polyps still leaves some tissue that can cause recurrence of polyps. Removing all sinus tissue would cause severe drying and crusting inside the nose and is not recommended. Sometimes, allergy avoidance, allergy shots, steroids or other medications to decrease inflammation of the nasal tissue can slow polyp growth. In some cases, additional nasal polyp surgeries are needed.
You May Like: Akbar V Weight Loss Surgery
When Should You Call Your Surgeon For Complications Following Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
- A sudden increase in the amount of bleeding from the nose is unrelieved by pressure, ice, and head elevation.
- A fever greater than 101.5 F persists despite increasing the amount of fluid intake and acetaminophen use.
- Persistent sharp pain or headache that is not relieved by the prescribed pain medication.
- Increased swelling or redness of the nose or eyes.
- Drainage of a thin, clear fluid in large quantities from usually only one side of the nose. This would be different from the clear, thicker mucus drainage normally produced by the nose.
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
How You Might Be Affected
Surgery for nasal and paranasal sinus cancer may affect you in one or more of the following ways:
- how you breathe
- how you chew and swallow
- your sense of smell
- how you hear
- how you speak
How you might be affected will depend on the position of your cancer and the type of operation you have.
These changes may happen because your face and neck are swollen and sore after surgery. They will usually reduce or disappear once you start to heal. Swelling might also change how you look, but this will usually get better too.
You might have some permanent changes in what you can do and the way you look.
Before you have the surgery, your doctor will discuss the side effects with you.
Recommended Reading: Physician Assistants In Orthopedic Surgery
How To Reduce The Chances Of A Complication
Sinus lifts are low-risk procedures. We recommend always going for the experts to handle the dental implant and the sinus lift because they have the most experience.
If you or anyone else you care about or know needs to have a sinus lift surgery, get more information about it from experts like us. The dental experts at Gables Sedation will help with the information you need about sinus lift surgery in detail.
An expert approach towards this kind of surgery will take away your fears and also help you to avoid after-surgery complications. Otherwise, you need to follow all of the after-surgery care instructions that your doctor gave to you. Also, be sure to keep your mouth clean and avoid taking any food, drink, or habit that may irritate your throat or sinuses.
If you know anyone that needs a sinus lift or is experiencing any of the symptoms we covered, share this article with them!
When Is Surgery Needed
It depends on the cause.
Sinusitis is swelling in your sinuses that causes congestion and discomfort. Several things can cause your nasal passages to become blocked and lead to this condition. Some of these are:
- Infections by bacteria, fungi or viruses
- Small growths called polyps on the lining of your sinuses
- Allergies
- A deviated septum, meaning a crooked wall in between your nostrils
If you donât get relief from your medicine, nasal rinses, or other treatments, tell your doctor. They may send you to a specialist.
Surgery may be an option if your sinusitis is due to a deviated septum, polyps, or other structural problems.
The main goals of sinus surgery are to relieve your symptoms and cut down on how many infections you get. If they keep coming back, chances are thereâs something in your nasal cavity that surgery could fix.
An operation should also help you breathe better through your nose. And if the chronic congestionhas affected your sense of smell or taste, surgery might help with that, too.
Read Also: Transposition Of The Great Arteries Surgery
Key Points To Remember
- Very few people need surgery for sinusitis. Most people can treat the problem with home care and medicines.
- Surgery may be a good choice for people who have long-term sinusitis. They may get one infection after another because something blocks the flow of mucus from the sinuses or because of another health problem. Surgery can remove blockages and make the sinus openings bigger. This helps the sinuses drain, preventing more infections.
- To be sure that surgery is a good choice, you need to have a CT scan of your sinuses. This test will be done after you have followed what’s called “maximum medical treatment” for 4 to 6 weeks. This means that you take medicines and follow home treatment to reduce infection and swelling. That helps your doctor see what’s causing your infections.
- You may need more than one surgery to fix your sinuses.
- After surgery, you still may need to take medicines, such as antibiotics, and follow home treatment for a long time.
- If you get chronic sinusitis because of allergies or another problem, you need to get that problem under control before you have surgery. You will have better results from surgery if you use medicine and home treatment after surgery to help to keep that problem under control.
During Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Endoscopic sinus surgery is usually performed as an outpatient procedure. It does not include cutting the skin, because it is performed entirely through the nostrils. Most people can return home the same day.
The sinus surgeon will use an endoscope a thin camera rod with a light at the end to magnify and better see the sinus tissues. Specialized instruments open the sinuses widely by safely and effectively removing causes of sinus blockage like mucous membrane swelling, nasal polyps and scar tissue. Specialized instruments are also used, if required, to straighten the septum and reduce the size of the turbinates .
Also Check: Recovering From Spinal Stenosis Surgery
Pulmonary Olfactory And Other Outcomes Following Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
In patients with CRS, ESS may secondarily improve outcomes of comorbid diseases affected by sinusitis. In asthmatic patients with CRS, ESS has been shown to improve clinical measures of asthma control, although it has not been shown to improve the results of pulmonary function tests. A systematic review of asthma outcomes following ESS included 22 studies and determined that 76% of patients reported improved asthma control, 85% experienced fewer asthma attacks, and 64% had decreased hospitalizations.121 Decreased oral and inhaled corticosteroid utilization occurred in 73% and 28%, respectively, and there was a nonstatistically significant improvement in forced expiratory volume at 1 second.121 A subsequent prospective studyusing two validated asthma outcomes metrics, the Mini Asthma QoL Questionnaire, and the Asthma Control Test evaluated changes in asthma control in asthmatic patients who underwent ESS.122 Following ESS, both of these outcomes measures improved and approximately half of the patients with uncontrolled asthma as defined by the ACT improved.122 ESS has also been associated with a decreased cost of outpatient asthma care following surgery.123
Nyssa Fox Farrell MD, Timothy Smith MD, MPH, in, 2022